Recycle on the Go Success Sto
Wisconsin Uses Ordinances and Permits to
Promote Recycling in Public Places
Wisconsin's Solid Waste Reduction, Recovery, and Recycling Law requires everyone in the state to recycle, whether
at home, at work, or at away-from-home settings like fairs, festivals, sports events, conferences, and meetings.
Every Wisconsin community has a recycling ordinance with language similar to that of the state law. The State
of Wisconsin, and two of its communities in particular—the City of Madison and Waukesha County—are using
regulations and ordinances in conjunction with public outreach and education as tools to enhance their public
place recycling programs.
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This roll-off dumpster
is filled with plastic
and aluminum
beverage containers
collected during an
event hosted by the
Harley Owners Group
at the Washington
County Fair Park in
southeast Wisconsin.
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State of Wisconsin
Program Overview
Fairs, festivals, and special events are a matter of state pride in Wisconsin. To make them
more environmentally friendly and respond to a growing interest from citizens to recycle
outside the home, in 2005, the state revised its recycling rules to clarify the original intent
and scope of state recycling. This included specifying that "special events" are included in
the definition of a "nonresidential" location. State officials see recycling in public places
as a way to increase recycling rates and reinforce the message that recycling should be
part of everyday culture.
Recycling Law. Passed in 1990, the Wisconsin recycling law requires local governments
to develop and implement recycling programs for 14 materials now banned from
municipal landfills and incinerators, including corrugated cardboard, glass bottles and
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Recycle on the Co
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Wisconsin Recycles...
Wisconsin's recycling law
requires coordinators of
special events to make
provisions for recycling the
following items:
• Glass bottles and jars
• Aluminum and tin cans
• Plastic containers
(#1 and #2)
• Newspaper
• Corrugated cardboard
• Office paper
• Other items, depending
on the community
jars, aluminum cans, and plastic food and beverage containers (#1 and #2). The law also
requires establishing local ordinances and educating all residents, businesses, government
agencies, and institutions about recycling.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) shares responsibility for
enforcement with local governments. Communities are responsible for having ordinances
and enforcing compliance. Event or facility owners are responsible for staffing and
operating the recycling programs. While DNR emphasizes voluntary compliance through
education and technical assistance, the department has the authority to issue citations to
those who violate the law.
Administrative Rule Supports Recycling in Public Places. Despite the law's overall
effectiveness, state officials learned that in some cases recycling responsibilities at special
events were unclear. The revised
rule remedies the situation by
requiring commercial, retail,
industrial, institutional, and
government facilities and
properties to recycle at special
events such as fairs, festivals,
sporting venues, conferences,
and exhibitions. This small but
It was very powerful to clarify the definition
of nonresidential facilities and properties in
our recycling administrative code. We made
it clear that recycling is required by everyone,
everywhere in Wisconsin.
Cynthia Moore,
State of Wisconsin s Recycling Program Coordinator
powerful change gives local
recycling officials and citizens interested in being able to recycle away from home a firm
foundation from which to seek funding or other resources from
their community boards for recycling in public places.
Education and Outreach. The state spearheaded development
of tools to help citizens and organizations implement effective
waste reduction and recycling programs at special events.
The upshot: a Web-based toolkit developed by a coalition of
municipalities and other partners that walks users through the
process of setting up recycling programs at their events. The
toolkit offers practical advice about the kinds of bins to use,
when to empty them, and storage requirements for collected
recyclables.
In addition, the state is building support for recycling in public
places by working with local governments, attending conferences,
and publishing a newsletter that highlights successful recycling
programs at special events. State officials believe their efforts are
working because they now observe more businesses implementing
recycling. For example, local groups, such as the Sierra Club and
various neighborhood associations like Madison Recycling Away
from Home (RAH), are initiating recycling campaigns. Some fairs
and festivals are composting as well.
Some events, such as the Midwest
Renewable Energy and Sustainable
Living Fair, not only recycle but also
collect food scraps and biodegradable
food service ware for composting, as
shown here.
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Recycle on the Go
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City of Madison
Program Overview
In September 2007, the City of Madison's Common Council passed a new recycling
ordinance that requires event organizers to have an approved recycling plan in order
to receive a permit to hold the event. "Basically, the ordinance codifies what we were
already doing and ensures that all events will operate on a level playing field," explains
George R Dreckmann, recycling coordinator for Madison. A detailed brochure that event
organizers receive when they apply for a permit outlines the ordinance's requirements
and highlights how the city's recycling office can assist event coordinators.
Recycling Plan. The ordinance requires that event coordinators develop a recycling plan
and have it approved by the city's recycling coordinator in order to receive a permit to
hold the event. The plan must describe the recyclables the event will generate, how
they will be collected from the public and vendors, and arrangements for transporting
the materials to a recycling facility. Since 2005, the recycling office has been reviewing
recycling plans on a case-by-case basis, and Dreckmann describes the task as "simple
and straightforward." Because the city picks up the recyclables from most events, the city
retains the weight slips from those events for which it serves as the hauler.
Enforcement. The ordinance does not authorize fines. Rather,
it states that if the recycling coordinator disapproves a
recycling plan, he or she will work with the organization to
develop an approvable plan.
Container Loan Program. Madison's recycling office currently
owns 110 collapsible bins that are available for loan and
plans to add another 50 to accommodate an increased
demand now that recycling is mandatory for all events.
If event organizers plan to use the city to haul away their
recyclables, they also receive 35-gallon clear plastic bags to
collect their recyclables. On the other hand, if organizers use
a private hauler, they can borrow the recycling bins, but need
to supply their own plastic bags. The containers cost the city
$50 each to purchase, and the recycling office stores them in
a nearby building. Event coordinators pay the replacement
cost for any containers they fail to return.
Establishing a Track Record. Before making recycling at events mandatory, Dreckmann
advises first establishing a track record by trying a few pilot projects so people can see that
it works. "That way you can work out any kinks and learn from your mistakes," he says.
In Madison's case, the city ran pilot recycling projects during the "Concert on the Square"
musical series, which draws 15,000 to 20,000 people on a weekday evening, and "Taste of
Madison," which draws 150,000 people during a weekend.
During the pilot phase, the recycling office's biggest challenge was finding the right
container. During the concert series, the city used existing 5 5-gallon trash receptacles
provided by the park service and recycling bins that were a different color, but experienced
a high rate of contamination (mixing of wastes with the recyclables). At another event, a
Recycle on the Co U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Photo: Paul Abta -son RAH
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street festival, city officials tried
using 95-gallon toters that they
purchased when the city began
offering single stream recycling
at the curb in 2004. Although
these containers worked well at
some events, they had several
drawbacks. They were bulky and
heavy, workers found it difficult
to tell when they were full, and
they tied up the city's recycling
truck for half a day.
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Photo: Meribeth Sullivan, Waukesha County
Waukesha County
Program Overview
Located in southeastern Wisconsin among rolling hills and abundant lakes, Waukesha
County is home to numerous fairs and festivals. Even before the recent clarification of
the state law, the county had been actively involved in recycling in public places as a
member of Wisconsin's Be SMART (Save Money And Reduce Trash) Coalition and a
participant in the coalition's pilot program for recycling at special events.
The Waukesha County recycling office promotes the online Be SMART materials
to organizers of festivals and other special events in the county. Further, the county
purchased 50 collapsible recycling bins (at a cost of $50 each) with clear plastic bags
and loans them free of charge to event planners. Users accept full responsibility for the
bins and agree to pay the replacement cost for any bins damaged or not returned intact.
When not in use, the
bins are stored in a
shed near the county
fairgrounds. Recycling
staff members also
encourage the 25
municipalities who
issue event permits in
the county to include
recycling requirements
as part of the permitting
process.
Education and Outreach.
To better target festivals
in the county, the
recycling office joined
Wisconsin's Council of
Festivals Committees,
Inc., to access the
organization's membership directory and compile a list of local event coordinators. A
recycling specialist then sends out a letter to event coordinators, as well as chamber of
commerce members and park and recreation department staff.
The letter reminds these stakeholders that recycling at their events is required by law and
can reduce trash hauling fees and demonstrate community responsibility. The letter also
outlines the county's recycling container loan program and offers the recycling office's
assistance in planning waste reduction and recycling efforts at events, which can include
meeting with the event planning team.
To ensure the sustainability of the recycling program from year to year, the county
recycling office developed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with one Boy Scout
troop that regularly requested use of the recycling bins for fundraising efforts. Because the
scout troop collected recyclables at multiple local events, the county decided to purchase
20 recycling containers exclusively for the troop, freeing up the county leaner bins for
Recycle on the Co U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
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Rules at a Glance
The Wisconsin Solid Waste
Reduction, Recovery, and
Recycling Law of 1990
requires local governments
to develop and implement
a recycling program for
14 materials banned
from landfills, including
corrugated cardboard, glass
bottles and jars, aluminum
cans, and plastic food and
beverage containers (#1
and #2). The law also
requires establishing local
ordinances to ensure that
all residents, businesses,
government agencies,
and institutions recycle.
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/aw/
wm/publications/anewpub/
WA422.pdf
Administrative Rule,
Chapter NR 544 "Effective
Recycling Programs," revised
in 2005, clearly states that
recycling is required at all
nonresidential facilities
and properties, including
those used for special
events. (For the new
definition of nonresidential
facilities and properties, see
NR544.03(21), Wisconsin
Administrative Code).
www.legis.state.wi.us/rsb/
code/nr/nr544.pdf
An amendment to the
City of Madison's Code
of Ordinances requires
applicants to submit a
recycling plan when they
apply for a street use permit
if their event will include
beverage service or use
of corrugated cardboard.
www.epa.gov/epaoswer/
osw/conserve/onthego/
documents/wis - ord.pdf
other events. The MOU states that if and when the scouts discontinue their recycling
efforts the bins will be returned to the county. This win-win arrangement helps ensure the
long-term viability of recycling at special events and enables the scouts to earn money by
providing recycling and trash service for event organizers.
Challenges and Solutions
Challenge: State law requires recycling, but event organizers were unfamiliar with how
to develop a recycling plan and coordinate collection and hauling during
their events.
Solution: State officials provided a grant to the Wisconsin Be SMART Coalition to
develop an online toolkit for recycling in public places. Coalition members also
speak at conferences and work to educate local governments about recycling
at special events. The recycling bin loan programs offered by the City of
Madison and Waukesha County are major tools that help encourage event
planners to recycle.
Challenge: Identifying funding to purchase recycling bins is a common challenge.
Solution: The Wisconsin Be SMART Coalition and its partners coordinated a
cooperative purchase of recycling bins to reduce costs for each partner. These
bins can then be shared among partner communities and used at special
events. Other financing ideas include fundraising or encouraging associations,
such as chambers of commerce, to purchase the bins and then loan them to
their members.
More Information
For more information, visit EPA's Recycle on the Go Web site at
www.epa.gov/recvcleonthego or contact:
Cynthia Moore, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, at (608) 267-7550 or
cvnthia.moore &_ wisconsin.gov
George Dreckmann, City of Madison, at (608) 267-2626 or
GDreckmann(5)citvofmadison.com
Meribeth Sullivan, Waukesha County, at (262) 896-8317 or
MSullivan(5)waukeshacountv.gov
The tops of Madison's recycling
bins have three openings sized to
accept beverage containers. The label
"Plastic Bottles Aluminum Cans,"
coupled with the recycling arrows
and illustrations of cans and bottles,
further reinforces the message.
Photo: Paul Abramson, Madison RAH
BOTTL.
ALUMINUM CANS
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The Bottom Line
Wisconsin state law
requires recycling at
special events. The City
of Madison and Waukesha
County find this fact crucial
when they work with event
organizers and distribute
outreach materials.
If recycling is required
at special events, it's
important to give event
organizers the tools they
need to do it properly.
Developing a toolkit
or how-to guide is an
important first step to
help educate stakeholders
and facilitate recycling in
public places.
Having the right container
is critical to success. Both
the City of Madison and
Waukesha County found
that collapsible recycling bins
with clear plastic bags work
well at many types of events.
Creative financing options
exist for purchasing bins.
Ideas include cooperative
purchasing, fundraising, and
enlisting associations, such
as chambers of commerce,
to buy the bins and loan
them to their members.
Tools at a Glance
Wisconsin Be SMART Coalition provides partner communities with
informational resources and hands-on planning support for special events through
crew trainings, meetings with key players, downloadable signs, press releases, and
education materials. In addition, Be SMART and its northeast region partners
coordinated a cooperative purchase of recycling bins, which will be shared among
those communities for use at special events, www.besmart.org
The Public Place
Recycling Toolkit contains
tips, tools, reports, and
case studies derived from
firsthand experiences of
site coordinators, event
planners, and municipal recycling
coordinators. The toolkit can help
event organizers design programs to
tackle trash, reduce waste, recycle
effectively, and keep public facilities
clean. The toolkit is a product of
Wisconsin's Be SMART Coalition.
http://besmart.org/publicplacerecvcling
Madison Recycling Away from Home (RAH) is a coalition of organizations,
including neighborhood associations and the Sierra Club in Madison, that
provides volunteers to help manage recycling at neighborhood events, informs
vendors about how to purchase recyclable or biodegradable materials, and works
with city and county offices to encourage comprehensive event recycling.
www.madisonrah.org
Waukesha County's Event Recycling Bin Loan Program offers an online form
that enables event organizers to register to borrow the county's recycling bins.
www. waukeshacounty.gov/WorkArea/linkit.aspx?LinkIdentifier=ekfrm&JtemID =
The Web site for "Public Place Recycling—Fairs, Festivals, Special Events"
describes Waukesha County's free recycling bin leaner program and provides
other information about recycling in public places.
www.waukeshacountv.gov/page.aspx?SetupMetaId=11064&dd=15140
Photo: Chris Beimborn, Wisconsin Be SMART Coalition
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
EPA530-F-07-027
December 2007
www.epa.gov/recycleonthego
'Cycled/Recyclable — Printed with Vegetable Oil Based Inks on 100% Postconsumer,
Process Chlorine Free Recycled Paper
Disclaimer: The mention of any company, product, or process in this publication does
not constitute or imply endorsement by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
EPA is partnering with
federal agencies, states,
municipalities, and
organizations to promote
recycling in public places.
www.epa.gov/recycleonthego
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